How Can You Hate What You Are?
by Morganeth Taren'drel
Summary: A companion piece to The Only Cat He'll Ever Love, Roles are reversed, what's Rose and the Doctor to do?


**AN**: This is a companion piece to **The Only Cat He'll Ever Love** took me way to long to write this, but ideas just weren't coming to me. I hope you enjoy this I'm not really sure what I think of it so I'm going to let you be the judge.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the characters from Doctor Who

**How Can You Hate What You Are?**

"So what do you think?"

Rose swept her hair back over her shoulder squinting up at Captain Jack Harkness whose smile was a cheeky and confident as she ever remembered seeing it. Glancing back over her shoulder across the Cardiff plaza, she considered the unassuming structure. "Not very flash, is it?" she looked back at him with a smirk.

"Said the girl who travels all of time and space in a blue police box," he returned sarcastic smile pulling at his lips.

"Well at least they're both bigger on the inside..." Rose admitted, "Though underground just isn't the same as containing all that space in a 6'x6' box."

Jack's voice was dry, "Right never try to compete with the TARDIS."

"Sorry," Rose blushed at Jack's tone, but remained smiling. "Looks like you've found an excellent team," she added slipping her arm through his as the continued across the plaza back to where the Doctor waited in the TARDIS.

"It's not the same a time travel," Jack told her, sharp blue eyes staring off into the distance.

Rose regarded him for a moment, "You've found yourself a home." He nodded at that flashing Rose a brilliant smile before turning his attention ahead. She followed his gaze as they neared the TARDIS, so long as she was with the Doctor Rose knew she'd be happy to call anything home.

"Nice to see old friends..." Jack trailed off as he hand reached for the TARDIS door.

"Muh-Ow!"

It was a mournful and desperate sound, managing to just barely penetrate the shell of the TARDIS.

"Muh-Ow! Muh-Ow! Muh-Ow" the cries became more frantic.

Jack and Rose exchanged a look before the immortal finally pushed open the TARDIS' door. "Merow!" a ginger cat darted out from around the door and lunged for Rose's legs.

"How'd you get in there?" she asked the kitty lifting him into her arms so she was looking into his liquid brown eyes. "Doctor?" she called stepping to the TARDIS Jack following right behind. "Did I actually change your mind Doctor?" Rose asked with a half laugh as she glanced around the TARDIS for her Doctor.

"What's this?" Jack asks curiously.

Rose turns to look at the Captain, free hand absently scratching the cat's cheek. She considers her answer for a minute knowing full well a blush is creeping onto her cheeks; under Jack's watchful gaze. "Oooohhh..." he drawls, "This must be good."

Rose opened her mouth as though to respond, and watched as Jack's attention peeked. "Never mind that, where's the Doctor?" she spun away suddenly walking towards the back of the TARDIS.

The cat went stiff pushing paws hard against Rose's chest as he arched his back so he could look her directly in the eyes. They watched each other for a moment, there was such intelligence in those brown eyes. Life experience shone through, and Rose slowly shook her head, "You didn't..." she breathed.

The ginger cat nodded his head, expression becoming what Rose was pretty sure counted as embarrassed. Cuddling the cat to her, Rose had to fight to keep herself from laughing, "Oh Doctor, how are we going to fix you?"

"This-" Jack started stepping in front of Rose, "This is the Doctor?" he asked incredulously. The expression on his face was priceless; Rose knew she was going to have to grab her camera for this.

The Doctor looked up from Rose's shoulder regarding Jack with bright eyes, she could see the hope in them; positive the Doctor was thinking '_Jack can fix it!_' He leapt from Rose's arms to the central console, tail held straight in the air as he chitered encouragingly at the immortal.

Rose took that moment to dash from the room; the TARDIS also seemed to want these pictures as her room was right around the corner. When Rose stepped back out into the console room, she found Jack down on one knee in front of the Doctor's feline form his right hand absently stroking the cat's back. Rose snapped her first picture from a distance, the expression the Doctor managed to pass through a cat's face was simply brilliant.

Stepping up beside Jack Rose was met with a reproachful look from her Doctor, brown eyes glaring at the camera in her hands. She couldn't hide the smile, "At least you're ginger," she attempted snapping another picture.

Jack got to his feet rather suddenly, "Well lets see what you've done here," shrugging out of his long coat Jack tossed it over the rail as he walked to the exposed panels. The Doctor followed right along beside tail lashing in what Rose could only assume was frustration.

She could hear Jack muttering to himself as he rolled up his sleeves and dove right in, but most of what he said made as little sense as when the Doctor excitedly rambled. Looking at the Doctor, Rose couldn't resist reaching out to run her fingers through his orange coat; it was so soft and spiky very much like his own brown hair.

"Rose could you hand me that?" Jack asked suddenly hand pointing to a tool that was resting by her foot, the Doctor really had scattered things in his '_rebuilding_'.

Taking hold of the odd shaped tool Rose walked over to Jack and handed it off, "You have any idea what to do?" she asked hopefully.

"I have a fair idea," he admitted, stopping in his work to glance around the TARDIS, "Where's the Doctor?"

Rose's eyes went right to the spot on the console where the Doctor had been, but he was gone. "Maybe he's in hiding until you can fix him," she mused walking slowly around the console. Rose stopped when she saw a small shadow darting about. Crouching down she caught side of a ginger blur the Doctor was batting at his own mallet which hung from a cord. Rose quickly snapped a picture.

The Doctor halted in his play the fur of his hackles rising slightly, but Rose just continued to smile as she sat down cross legged nearby. "You just can't fight it can you?" she asked softly reaching out a hand to stroke his head, and despite his frustration over the situation the Doctor pushed his head into her palm with force.

Rose watched as his pupils grew huge before the Doctor pounced forward, soft paws landing on a spot of light, it was reflecting off part of the camera. Realizing this Rose moved the light letting the ginger cat chase it one way and then another; when all of a sudden the Doctor stopped and sat down back straight feet perfectly lined up, and a look of great dignity on his face.

Placing her camera aside Rose reached forward and picked the Doctor up holding him against her chest, he was pushing away stiffly. "Doctor," she said his name softly, "Are you really so different in human form?" she asked quietly so only he could hear. "You love every aspect of life, run from one adventure to the next, chasing things that can't be caught." Rose was smiling as she spoke delighted to watch as the Doctor relaxed in her arms, actually snuggling against her, eyes closing to slits.

"Rose I could use a hand over here," Jack called again.

Without putting the Doctor down Rose got to her feet and made her way to where Jack was still working, "What do you need?"

Jack stopped what he was doing eyes studying Rose and the Doctor with a smile pulling at his lips, "You may just want a picture of that Doctor," Jack laughed, "That's a position to envy."

Rose could feel herself blush, but laughed outright when the ginger cat lifted his head from her chest and out came a little pink tongue. When she could speak again, Rose smiled at Jack, "Would you mind?" she jerked her head in the direction of the camera, "It's just over there."

"Alright but I want copies," Jack agreed.

Rose scratched the Doctor's fury cheek, only to hear him softly purr, in response. Jack made quick work of the picture taking even adding one with himself in it arm wrapped tightly around Rose, index finger rubbing the Doctor's head. Placing the camera aside, Rose looked directly at Jack, "What did you need?"

"The Doctor," he responded with a smile, "I think I'm ready to change him back."

The Doctor scrambled from Rose's arms, leaping onto the console, "Murow?" he almost seemed to demand.

Jack raised his hands, "I wasn't the one who was messing with the TARDIS," he said with a cheeky smile, "But I'm pretty sure this should work."

"And if it doesn't?" Rose asked with concern.

"He might get to try out a different animal for a few hours, maybe an alien at worst," Jack winked so only Rose could see, and she felt a wave of relief wash over her.

"I'll get his coat," She said suddenly striding over to where the Doctor's clothes had dropped off the main floor of the TARDIS.

"His coat?" Jack repeated sounding a little confused.

"You don't actually think he's wearing anything right now, yeah?"

"Guess I just didn't think about it," the immortal admitted. There was a moment of silence and through the corner of her eye Rose caught a delighted look on Jack's face. "So when this happened to you…" he trailed off suggestively.

"I was wearing the Doctor's coat," she was quick to finish for him.

Standing just out of the way of the beam Rose held the Doctors coat, ready to raise it above her eyes when the Doctor changed. She watched as the Doctor without hesitation leapt to the necessary spot, as Jack began the power up. Having been asleep at the time Rose remembered nothing of her conversion back to human form, though she had been rather surprised to wake up wearing only the Doctor's coat. But he had been there next to her, asleep for a moment then awake smiling down at her like he always did. That smile which promised adventures for as long as she lived.

There was a bright flash of blue light, "You had that fixed almost as soon as you came in!" the Doctor's voice accused his long fingers taking hold of his coat quickly throwing it around his lean naked form. "Thanks you Rose," he offered softly.

"Hey the TARDIS is hardly a simple machine," Jack countered, "And neither are your garbled thoughts." A wicked grin took his face then, "You had some fun didn't you?"

The Doctor's cheeks reddened ever so slightly, Rose was so surprised to see a blush on his face that she couldn't help but gape. The Doctor turned away from the both of them with a half hearted huff and strode deeper into the TARDIS. Rose watched him go hoping he wasn't truly upset.

"Don't worry," Jack smiled coming up beside her, "It's just another thing he can say he's experienced. I know it's already a long list, but what's one more?" He rested a hand on her shoulder which brought Rose's eyes to him, "Now about those pictures…"

Thanks for Reading

Morganeth Taren'drel


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